On a night when Butler had a clear size advantage over Ball State, Nathalie Fontaine, a freshman from Sweden, powered her way into the on lane. She used her 6 feet 2 inches frame to grab loose balls and score 13 points.
Fontaine was accurate from the court, shooting 5-of-7 from the field.
“The big part with Nathalie was that she was more efficient, she got 13 on only seven shots,” coach Brady Sallee said.
The efficiency comes just a few days after she had a rough game against Evansville, when she shot just 5-of-18 from the field.
Sallee said that he was impressed by Fontaine’s quick turnaround and dedication to improving in the spots where she struggled.
“For a freshman to watch film, and be able to handle the critique of some shot selection, and then fix it? Wow, that’s really good,” Sallee said. “She was one of the best players on the court tonight.”
The tallest player for Ball State, Fontaine led the team with nine rebounds, more than double what its next leading rebounder had in the game.
It was a step forward after bringing in just five rebounds against Evansville, especially when Butler played four players who were over six feet tall.
Guard Brittany Carter praised Fontaine’s abilities, saying that she believes Fontaine is a dynamic player due to her skill set.
“She really brings a lot to the team, she can shoot outside shots,” Carter said. “She can drive, pull up, she can do it all, she’s a very versatile player.”
But there’s still work to be done for the young Fontaine. Sallee said that she has a few bad habits that she picked up from playing European basketball in Sweden, which caused her to commit six turnovers.
